ethin's doings

[ethin]

Yep, they also keep the gophers and tornadoes at bay.

[ethin]

It has been warm as of late and the snow in the valley is gone so we did some late season maintenance, took down a large Norway Maple that was growing behind the house. It was too close to the house and if it would have lost something substantial it would most likely have damaged the house. It was sad to see it go, it had been there my whole life.

[philagardener]

Looks like a good decision given its condition but it's never easy to lose an old friend.

[ethin]

Started some Mock Orange and Honey Locust seeds today.

[kazedwards]

What are mock oranges?

[ethin]

Flowering shrub, the blossoms are supposed to be orange scented, but I've never noticed it on the one we have.
The one Mock orange we have left was part of the original landscaping when my parents bought the house making it 50 to 70 years old. I only found out what it was this last week, I'm hoping that now that I know what it is I can take better care of it, it is currently pretty shabby looking.

[kazedwards]

I see. It is very similar to a citrus flower.

[ethin]

That was weird, one of the cats scared all the birds away from one of the areas that I put out bird seed, and then started eating stuff out of the bird food!?

[flowerweaver]

Sometimes my barn cats eat chicken scratch, don't know what's up with that either. Sorry about your maple. Of course part of my maple and other trees landed on my house during the tornado, but I don't intend to cut any of the remaining trees hovering over the house. They are too valuable for shade and help keep my electric bill down in the summer. After all, summer's a given and I hope (knock on wood) never to experience another tornado.

[reed]

ethin, if your Mock Orange is puny looking you should be able to just cut it down in late winter and grow it new from the roots. We had a giant one in the yard when I was little that really did smell wonderful. I have planted them several times over the years but never had one have that smell. Really disappointing. 

[reed]

Chickens eat the dog food, dog eats the chicken food, it all works out I guess.

[ethin]

I put the bird seed out to attract critters for the cats to eat, but if the cat want to cut out the middle man all the better. Our cats seem to like a variety of none meat stuff, walnuts, peas, corn, squash, melons, potatoes. they also like to raid the kitchen scrap compost for who knows what.

[ethin]

flowerweaver, yeah the maple did shade the house and it produced lots of leaves for use on the garden, but we got lots of wood chips and wood from it. The sun room might be more productive now that it wont get as much shade, the walnut might be as well.

[ethin]

Having an unusually warm Feb, decided to get an early start on the tree pruning while the weathers good.

[steev]

My last dog wouldn't eat dog food, although the cats loved it; so the whole household lived on cat food ( except me ).